Closing Costs in Highland Beach: What Sellers Pay and What They Net

Closing costs in Highland Beach follow the same Florida rules as anywhere else in Palm Beach County, but the price level and the building type change the numbers. This is a small town. It runs about 3 miles along State Road A1A between Boca Raton and Delray Beach, and the 2020 Census counted 4,295 residents. Most homes for sale are condos in mid-rise and high-rise buildings on the ocean or the Intracoastal. So for most sellers, the condo items matter as much as the state taxes. This guide covers each cost and works out a sample net sheet near the town's median list price.

Key takeaways

• As of October 1, 2026, Highland Beach had just 151 active listings, with a median list price of $980,000, according to Pure Equity's MLS data.
• Doc stamps on a $980,000 deed come to $6,860, at 70 cents per $100.
• The owner's title premium on $980,000 is $4,975 under Florida's set rates. In Palm Beach County, sellers usually pay it.
• Condo sellers pay the association's estoppel fee. Florida caps the base fee at $250.
• Milestone inspections, reserve studies and assessments shape who can buy your unit and what credits they ask for.

The seller's share of closing costs in Highland Beach

Sales here are usually written on the Florida Realtors and Florida Bar "AS IS" Residential Contract. Paragraph 9(a) puts these costs on the seller:

• Doc stamps on the deed.
• Condo or HOA estoppel fees.
• The owner's title policy and search, if the seller-pays option is checked.
• A municipal lien search, with that same option.
• Recording fees to cure any title problem.
• Your own lawyer and closing services.
• FIRPTA charges, if you are a foreign seller.

The buyer, for their part, pays loan costs, inspections, deed recording and the association's approval or transfer fee. Your commission comes from the listing agreement. It is negotiable, and at this price level each half point is a large sum.

Doc stamps and title premiums at Highland Beach prices

The Florida Department of Revenue taxes deeds at 70 cents per $100 of the price. Because prices here run high, this line is larger than in most of the county.

• A $980,000 condo: $6,860 in doc stamps.
• A $3,000,000 oceanfront home: $21,000.

Next is title insurance. In Palm Beach County the seller customarily pays for the owner's policy and chooses the closing agent, according to Palm Beach Title. The premium is set by Florida Rule 69O-186.003. It runs $5.75 per $1,000 on the first $100,000, $5.00 per $1,000 up to $1 million, and $2.50 per $1,000 from $1 million to $5 million.

So the base premium on a $980,000 sale is $4,975. On a $3 million sale it is $10,075. Also, many Highland Beach owners bought with an owner's policy. If you still have yours, the Florida CFO says a lower reissue rate can apply when a prior owner's policy exists. That can save real money at these prices.

Search, lien search and settlement fees are extra and vary by company. Ask for a written quote.

Condo closing costs in Highland Beach

For a condo seller on A1A, the association is often the source of the biggest surprises. Here is what to plan for.

The estoppel certificate

Before closing, your association must state what you owe in an estoppel certificate. It has 10 business days to deliver it. Florida caps the fee at $250 for a current account. It can add $100 for delivery within 3 business days, and up to $150 more if the account is past due. The caps can rise with inflation every 5 years, so ask your manager for the current fee.

A certificate sent by hand or email is good for 30 days, and one sent by mail is good for 35. Many owners here are seasonal, so plan the request around your travel. A late request can push back your closing.

Milestone inspections and reserve studies

Florida requires a milestone inspection for condo buildings three stories or taller by the end of the year they turn 30. The local official can move that up to 25 years for buildings near salt water. After the first one, inspections repeat every 10 years. The whole town sits between the ocean and the Intracoastal, so ask your association which schedule applies.

Associations must also complete structural reserve studies and fund reserves for structural parts of the building. In some buildings that has meant large special assessments. When you sell, the buyer must receive the milestone summary and the reserve study, along with the other condo documents. Under section 718.503, a buyer who does not get them on time can cancel within 7 days, not counting weekends and holidays.

Who pays an approved assessment

This is often the largest open question in a Highland Beach sale. The contract's paragraph 9(f) covers assessments by a public body, and a condo association is not a public body. So assessments that the association has already passed need their own terms, usually in the condo rider. Many buyers ask the seller to pay the full balance or give a credit. Settle this in writing before you sign, because it can move your net by tens of thousands of dollars.

Building problems can also limit financing. Fannie Mae will not buy loans on units in some projects that need critical repairs. When that happens, your buyer pool may shrink to cash buyers. To dig deeper into estoppel and transfer charges, see our guide to HOA estoppel and transfer fees.

Property tax prorations for Highland Beach sellers

Florida property taxes are due November 1 for the year that is ending. So if you close before you pay, you credit the buyer for each day you owned the unit that year. The contract prorates through the day before closing.

If the year's bill is not out yet, the closing agent uses the current assessment with last year's millage, or last year's tax. It also assumes the 4% November discount. Then either side can ask to true up the number when the real bill arrives.

If your unit is a second home, it has no homestead exemption, so the tax bill is often higher. As a result, the proration line can be large at these prices, so look it up before you estimate your net.

A sample net sheet for closing costs in Highland Beach

According to Pure Equity's MLS data as of October 1, 2026, Highland Beach had 151 active residential listings. The median list price was $980,000, and the median asking price per square foot was $681. Active listings had been on the market an average of 130 days. These are asking prices, and with so few listings, a handful of sales can move them. See the current list on our Highland Beach page.

Here is a sample for a condo near that median. Assumptions are marked.

• Sale price: $980,000
• Commission: not included below. It is the rate you negotiate, and on this sale each 1 percentage point is $9,800.
• Doc stamps: minus $6,860
• Owner's title policy, base premium: minus $4,975
• Condo estoppel at the base fee: minus $250
• Tax proration, assuming a $15,000 annual bill and an October 1 closing (273 days): minus $11,219
• Mortgage payoff, assumed: minus $400,000
• Estimated net before commission, title search, lien search, settlement fees and any assessment credit: $556,696

Doc stamps, title and estoppel add up to $12,085, about 1.2% of the price. Commission comes on top, at $9,800 for each percentage point you agree to. Notice what is missing: any credit for a pending assessment. In some buildings that one line can exceed all the others combined.

For a quick estimate with your own figures, use our seller closing costs calculator.

How the market affects what Highland Beach sellers pay

Miami Realtors reported that in August 2026, Palm Beach County condos and townhouses sold for a median of $300,000. They took a median of 69 days to go under contract, with 6.7 months of supply. Single-family homes sold for a median of $650,000, with 40 days to contract and 3.5 months of supply.

Highland Beach units sell far above that county condo median. Still, the condo pattern holds: buyers have choices and time. So expect requests for credits tied to assessments, insurance or updates. The town's own hurricane manual also notes that many residents close their units for the season, which can make summer a slower time to sell.

Frequently asked questions

What are typical closing costs in Highland Beach for a seller?

Doc stamps run 0.7% of the price, and the title premium on a $980,000 sale is $4,975. Add the estoppel fee and your negotiated commission. In our example, doc stamps, title and estoppel came to about 1.2%, before commission and any assessment credit.

Does the seller pay for title insurance in Highland Beach?

By Palm Beach County custom, yes. The seller pays for the owner's policy and picks the closing agent, unless the contract says otherwise.

Who pays a condo special assessment when I sell?

It depends on your contract and condo rider. Association assessments are not covered by the public body rule in paragraph 9(f), so negotiate them in writing.

Can I reduce closing costs in Highland Beach?

Commission and credits are negotiable. A prior owner's policy may also lower the title premium. Doc stamps are fixed by law.

Do milestone inspections affect my closing costs?

Not directly, but the results can lead to assessments, buyer credit requests and limits on financing. All of those can lower your net.

Sources

• Pure Equity, Highland Beach market data (as of October 1, 2026)
• Miami Realtors, Palm Beach County August 2026 report
• Historical Society of Palm Beach County, Highland Beach
• BEBR, University of Florida, Florida Population: Census Summary 2020
• Town of Highland Beach, Hurricane Preparation Manual 2026
• Florida Department of Revenue, documentary stamp tax
• Florida Realtors and Florida Bar, AS IS Residential Contract
• Rule 69O-186.003, Florida title insurance rates
• Florida CFO, title insurance overview
• Palm Beach Title, FAQs
• Florida Statutes, s. 718.116 (condo estoppel)
• Florida Statutes, s. 553.899 (milestone inspections)
• Florida Statutes, s. 718.503 (condo resale disclosure)
• Florida Statutes, s. 197.162 (early payment discounts)
• Fannie Mae Selling Guide, ineligible projects

This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Fees, rules and forms change, so confirm your own numbers with your closing agent, a Florida real estate attorney or a tax advisor.

Selling a condo in Highland Beach? Request a personalized seller net-proceeds sheet that includes your building's assessments and fees. Ask for your net sheet or check your unit's value. Buying on the barrier island instead? Talk to a buyer's agent about the buildings you like.